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May 9, 2011

Forty tickets shy of selling out.

I thought that maybe if I gave it a couple days I'd have this super awesome re-cap of how it all went but honestly, I am still feeling very, wobbly? Kind of nervous still, and I guess the best word I can come up with is unsure.

I am unsure how I feel about it all just yet. Mostly because I don't think it's hit me that it's over.

getting lined up to go on stage...

I can tell you what I do know. We were forty tickets shy of selling out. That was beyond my expectations. To have a full house is an amazing feeling of accomplishment. Most of all, I wanted to show off my cast. I am very proud of myself for the most important part of Listen To Your Mother: the cast. I could not wait to show them and their stories off. To hear the audience ROAR with laughter (and I mean, roar, and for longer lengths of time than we ever could have practiced our pauses or imagined in rehearsal) and hold their breath, wipe their tears - that was like a dream. But it wasn't. It was real. It was absolute validation. It was awesome.

Beyond all that, it's kind of a blur. I wish it was for more than one night. I wish we could do it again this weekend. I wish we could go on tour. I think maybe after the video is online and everyone everywhere can watch, that will be pretty cool. I want to show it off, I really do. I can not believe it myself that I actually did this. I am so glad I did.

Steph, you and the cast did such a great job. And for me, just an attendee, my head is still spinning! My heart and mind are so full, trying to remember each and every story and message. (Thank God for video.) Anyway, so I can only imagine what you're experiencing.

I love how your feeling!! I wish, wish I could be there, but alone time with my hubby (on our 17th anniversary) was more important, I'm sure you understand! I can't wait til it happens again, even next year on the same weekend works for me! congrats on a job well done!!! KUDDOS!

So, honestly, just from your brief little recap of the roaring laughter and the moments for tears, chills cover my body and tears fill my eyes. The emotion that night, the intense, beautiful, raging emotion that spilled out from that stage, it's something we, as the audience, will never, ever recover from.

We (Brian and I) still talk about it like we saw The Beatles on stage. We wished for an encore performance, the next night and the next and the next.

Honestly, even after writing all of this? I still do not have the words to describe to you what you accomplished on May 7, 2011 in the tiny city of Valparaiso, Indiana. Even though you think you know? I don't think you'll ever really know.

So glad everything went so well for you, Steph. I had no doubt that it would!!!

Keeping it real for a second...I had every intention of going but my heart was still a little sad about not being a part of it. I know that's stupid, but I decided that watching it online might be a bit easier for me. BUT I am super excited to hear about 2012. My personal goal is to give it one more try. It's just too awesome of an idea!